Child labour in Nigeria

Child labour in Nigeria is the employment of children under the age of 18 in a manner that restricts or prevents them from basic education and development.

[2] Child workers include street vendors, shoe shiners, apprentice mechanics, carpenters, vulcanisers, tailors, barbers and domestic servants.

[5] In August, 2003, the Nigerian government formally adopted three International Labour Organization conventions setting a minimum age for the employment of children.

[6] The US Department of Labour in its 2010 report claims Nigeria is witnessing the worst forms of child labor, particularly in agriculture and domestic service.

The report claims some children are exposed to pesticides and chemical fertilizers in cocoa and tobacco fields because of archaic farming practices or because they are deployed as forced labour without protective gear.

The report claims commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially girls, is also occurring in some Nigerian cities, including Port Harcourt and Lagos.